Having said that, many people want to do something related to aviation, and it is possible in some colleges to major in aviation, aeronautical science, aerospace engineering, or a similar subject. This could be looked on favorably by a future employer, and the knowledge gained would most definitely help with your CPL ground exams.
Some of the courses you’ll take in an aerospace engineering program, such as aerodynamics and thermodynamics, are also important components of aviation degrees. Other courses, however, such as space flight dynamics and space propulsion and power, are more oriented toward careers at NASA and other space-oriented organizations.
Pilot schools, flight training, and aviation education are all under the same umbrella but have specializations that will lead to different outcomes. The aviation degree with flight emphasis or specific pilot school will be a degree that will enable a student to legally operate aircraft.
A pilot does not need a college degree for a job with a regional airline, and most pilots complete a majority of their training at flight school. However, many employers, such as major airlines, prefer pilots with bachelor's degrees. Most major airlines accept bachelor's degrees in any major, but some specific majors to consider include:
Bachelor of Aviation. The most common type of higher education to pursue for aspiring pilots is a bachelor’s degree in aviation . Some higher education institutions offer this degree as part of a Bachelor of Science (BS) program, and others offer aviation education as part of a Bachelor of Arts (BA) program.
The FAA does require, however, that you complete two months of ground training and log at least 1500 hours in the air before you can receive a commercial pilot’s license. In this list, we’ll cover the top 5 degrees ...
This specialized career path requires significant aptitude and experience, but most air traffic management degrees only take four years to complete.
While a BS in aerospace engineering doesn’t directly prepare you for being a pilot, flight training programs and prospective employers will view your applications more favorably. A degree in this field will open up your potential career options more so than a BA or BS in aviation. Completing a full aerospace engineering degree might be overkill ...
Aeronautical science is not directly related to piloting an aircraft, but learning exactly how airplanes work and the components they contain gives you a unique skill set that other pilot applicants will lack. Receiving a BS in aeronautics does not directly prepare you to become a pilot.
Northrup notes that flight school applicants are not expected to have any type of flight experience in order to gain admission. He notes that he had no flight experience and had never even been on a plane prior to his admission into the U.S. Air Force Academy.
However, it's important to note that not every professional pilot works for an airline, and salaries for commercial pilots – whom the BLS defines as pilots who are "involved in unscheduled flight activities, such as aerial application, charter flights, and aerial tours" – are considerably lower than for airline pilots.
A well-trained pilot can quickly and calmly react to an emergency situation that arises, aviation experts say. (Getty Images) Men and women who are intrigued by the possibility of flying an airplane for a living should consider attending a pilot school and becoming a professional pilot.
To cut right to the chase – you do not need a degree to be an airline pilot, but by the time you move on to the majors it’s a good idea to have one.
Many choose to get their flight training through a 4-year university that offers flight training, a route that will have you flight training while following the traditional college timeline.
Although perhaps one of the least-traveled paths, some choose to begin their flight training after obtaining a 4-year degree. Typically those who take this path obtain a degree outside of aviation, and begin flight training at a pilot school shortly before or after graduating.
For those that know they want to be an airline pilot and want to get there as quickly as possible, this is the most attractive option.
Before making a decision on which path is right for you, make sure you understand the concepts of the 1,500 hour rule as well as seniority numbers in the regionals.
A pilot, or aviator, is a licensed professional who operates the flying controls of an aircraft. They work in the aviation industry to transfer people or goods from one location to another. Pilots usually work for commercial airlines, corporations or the government.
Pilots navigate and fly airplanes, helicopters and other types of aircraft on predetermined routes. Most aircraft have two pilots, with one serving as the captain and another serving as the co-captain. The captain flies during most of the flight but can switch with the co-captain when they need a break.
A pilot does not need a college degree for a job with a regional airline, and most pilots complete a majority of their training at flight school. However, many employers, such as major airlines, prefer pilots with bachelor's degrees. Most major airlines accept bachelor's degrees in any major, but some specific majors to consider include:
In addition to learning how to fly aircraft, there are certain skills pilots often develop to do well in their jobs. Here are some skills that can help a pilot succeed:
On average, a pilot makes an average salary of $42,448 per year. Those with more experience may make closer to $160,000 annually. Pilot salaries vary depending on the type of aircraft the pilot operates and whether their employer is a regional or major airline.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts airline pilots may have job growth of 5% from 2019 to 2029. This rate is slightly higher than the average growth for other occupations. The BLS expects commercial pilots to grow at almost double that rate, with a 9% increase in job outlook.
To earn a pilot license, an individual first needs their student pilot license. The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) basic eligibility requirements for earning a student pilot license include being at least 17 years old and speaking and understanding English proficiently.
The aviation degree with flight emphasis or specific pilot school will be a degree that will enable a student to legally operate aircraft. Over the next 20 years the airline industry is expecting to see shortages in qualified pilots and mechanics; to draw interested students airlines have partnered with colleges to bolster the flight programs.
LeTourneau University is the only university in Texas that awards aviation degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Another distinguishing factor that sets LeTourneau apart is that all of the aviation education is given by expert faculty members, from in-class academics to flight instructors to aircraft maintenance. None of the education is delivered through third-party constituents. Of the graduates of the pilot program, 100% received employment in their given field within 1 year of graduation. The flight simulators and other facilities for training are state of the art and allow for exceptional experience and training.
As America’s first federally certified school of aviation, Saint Louis University’s Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology has been a pioneer in the aviation industry. With innovative technology and engineering, Parks College has been at the forefront of the development of robots to rockets.
Currently, the salary for commercial airline pilots is a minimum of $112K per year. With more airlines partnering with colleges with pathway programs to support student success and employment upon graduation, now is the ideal time for those dreaming of flying.
Those that hold an associate degree in aviation will need 1,250 flight hours before they can qualify for certification.
As a pioneer in aviation education, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is among the most highly regarded institutions dedicated to the study of flight. Embry-Riddle is the oldest and most comprehensive aeronautical university.
Founded in 1870, Ohio State University began training a handful of pilots in 1917 during World War I. The original program was dormant until the need arose again to train civilian pilots which quickly became linked to the World War II effort. The schools of aviation officially had civilian programs in 1945. Currently, Ohio State University has the third busiest airport in the state of Ohio with students logging more than 7,000 fleet training hours per year. The Center for Aviation Studies is fully accredited by the AABI and continues to be a leader in aviation studies.
If you want to be a professional pilot, then a lot more is required. You will need to do the complete course for a Commercial Pilot’s Licence or CPL. This will involve a more difficult and intensive flying course than for the PPL. It will be followed by some much more in-depth and detailed written exams.
To obtain a Private Pilot’s Licence or PPL, you simply need to find a flight school, have an introductory or discovery flight, and then do the practical flying course, passing a test at the conclusion of it.
You could perhaps become a military pilot and simply pass the army exams. Or you could work for a smaller airline, or in a different part of the world, where pilots are not required to have degrees. So if you want to be a professional pilot, simply look at what is best for you.
Getting a degree in something completely different can in fact be a very good insurance policy. Much of the time the working life of an airline pilot is extremely precarious when it comes to job security. To put it bluntly, there is very little job security in the longer term.
Before learning to fly light aircraft, many people ask this whether you need a degree. Technically, the answer is straightforward. You do not need to have a degree in order to be a pilot, and many pilots the world over have never even set foot in a college or university. That is the simple answer, but the reality if a lot more complicated.
Considering all of the above, it is clear that those wanting to fly for a living would be well advised to get a college degree if it is at all possible. It will give you more opportunities and could provide the difference between always having work, and finding yourself without a job in the future.
In most of Europe, that is all that you need to do. This is also true of some smaller regional airlines in the USA. However, many larger US airlines do require you to have a bachelor’s degree. Looking further afield, the same is true of the majority of airlines in the Far East, and also some other areas of the world.